We’ve made nine additions to our first team since January 2025, with Academy graduates such as Nico O’Reilly also forcing their way into the manager’s plans.
With such a different look after what had been years of relative stability, Guardiola says he had to be patient with working out how best to utilise the fresh talents.
“It took a little bit of time to visualise the new set of players perfectly and the way we have to do defensively and offensively,” he said.
“We changed a lot of shapes: winger or no wingers, full backs inside or outside. Many different ways, in the past we were more ABC.
“That is because there are a lot of new players and maybe I took a little time to find the best way for the team to feel safe.
“Always I look for the way to make the players feel comfortable and if it doesn’t work you have to change it slightly. It is what it is.
“I’m sure the process next season I’m pretty sure will be stable when I know the players better.”
Watch the full second half of Monday’s press conference at the top of the page…
Be at the first public event in the new North Stand!
This landmark occasion forms part of the phased opening of the expansion, with a series of public and private test events designed to assess key operational elements of the facility.
Subject to the new areas successfully passing initial internal checks, the event on Wednesday 20 May, will operate at 50% of the additional seating capacity, allowing more than 3,500 fans to attend.
Should the test event be successful, the next phase will see us trial 100% capacity at the final Premier League home match of the season against Aston Villa. Hospitality areas, the fan zone and the wider Medlock Square development will open later in 2026.
